Blue Jeans
by Kalsypher
Summary: Ignorance is not always bliss. For young Kasey Pipkins, the saying may prove to be what kills her mentally, emotionally, and worst of all, physically. LonniexOC
1. Chapter 1

"Uh, sir, here's the mail," Parker said as he handed a stack to Virgil.

The black chief of detectives took the pile from him and started to sort out the mail he got from what was meant for the old chief, who had yet to arrive. Virgil raised an eyebrow when he saw the nosy officer put a separate letter on the chief's desk.

"What's that?" Virgil asked.

"Well, it's almost Thanksgiving, sir," Parker said with a smile.

Virgil stared at the police officer with the receding hairline waiting for him to explain what exactly that meant. Parker didn't seem to understand as he just stood there smiling at the detective.

"Parker, what does that have to do with the letter?" Virgil asked.

"Oh, it's a letter from lil Kasey Pipkins," he smiled widely just at the thought. "She doesn't have time around Christmas to send stuff, so we'll be getting a couple of boxes here at the station next week."

"What?" Virgil asked not really understanding what the Vietnam veteran was talking about. "I've never gotten anything from her."

"Yes you have," Parker said matter-of-factly. "The chief took credit for it so you wouldn't ask."

"What was it?" Virgil asked as he thought over the things he had gotten from the chief. His eyes went down to the watch on his wrist. "She got me this?" He asked in shock.

"Yep," Parker smiled. "She always knows what to send just by the letters the chief writes her every month."

"Oh really?" Virgil asked. "And what did she get you?"

Parker disappeared for a moment then came back with his jar filled with tea. "She got me this here jar. It used to have persimmon jelly in it. She makes it herself. It's the best thing you could ever ask for. I'll let you try some if she sends me some."

"You think she won't?"

"Well, she doesn't like sending the same thing every year," Parker said.

"What does she send everyone else?"

"Well, last year Luann and Dee got necklaces. She managed to get Bubba a jacket that looked like his football uniform from Alabama. Lonnie never said what he got and the chief got about seven different types of jam."

Virgil wasn't too surprised when he said Lonnie didn't mention his gift, but all of this was surprising. A total stranger was sending them gifts?

"Why does she send all this stuff? Did the police department save her life or something?"

"Well, Mr. Tibbs, that's something you're gonna have to talk to the chief about," Parker said.

The detective's jaw dropped as the chatty officer left. Parker was going to keep a secret? He never keeps secrets!

"Hey Bubba," Tibbs called as the tall officer walked by.

His large frame stopped at the door as he leaned in. "Yes sir?"

"What can you tell me about Kasey Pipkins?" Virgil asked. He would ask the whole city if he had to to understand what was going on.

"Why? She in trouble?"

Tibbs debated on lying to him just to get information, but he couldn't. "She sends letters all the time. Why?"

Bubba had a sad smile on his lips before pushing himself from the door, "I'm afraid I can't say. But she's done a lot for us, that's for sure."

"Who has?" Lonnie asked.

Bubba looked at the lieutenant, "Uh, no one."

"Kasey Pipkins," Tibbs said.

Bubba gave the chief a detectives a look making Virgil mess with his tie. "Go on and sit down, Lonnie," Bubba said. "You ain't got nothing to worry about."

There was a great deal of concern on the lieutenant's face before he finally walked on. "It ain't my place to tell you what to do, but you do not bring her up in front of him, you hear me?"

That only added more questions to the detective's mind. "What happened?"

"He's never said, but he gets real hurt and real defensive about it. I suggest you send him out on as many calls as you can. He may just leave if he doesn't get something to do other than paperwork."

"He's done it before?"

"Oh yeah," Bubba sighed. "More than once. Nearly lost his job one time. He was madder than a hornet that day."

Virgil couldn't think of what the calm and collected cop would be like when he was angry. Even in serious and stressful situations, Lonnie managed to keep a cool head. Things just didn't bother him, and if they did, it only made him more concerned, not angry.

Bubba stepped out of the way when the chief walked in, removing his hat in the process. "Morning Virgil, Bubba."

"Morning Chief," the two greeted then Bubba walked away. Usually, the chief was in uniform, but today he was just wearing a plaid collared shirt and black pants.

"Are you going somewhere today?" Virgil asked.

Gillespie sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah, I gotta go to Jackson."

"Why?" Virgil asked.

"I gotta pick up someone," he said as he picked up the envelope Parker had put on his desk. "Parker said you took an interest in Ms. Kasey Pipkins. You must have brought it up with Jamison."

"How'd you know that?" Virgil asked.

"He's drinking coffee," the chief replied as he put on his reading glasses.

He seemed cleaner than usual. Like he was going on a date or something. His white hair was slicked back, but not as wet as Virgil was used to first thing in the morning.

"Jamison doesn't drink coffee," Virgil said. He hated the stuff. Only when he was pulling a long shift did he touch it, and even then he didn't drink much.

"He does when she becomes a topic of interest."

"Why is that?"

Virgil figured she was an ex girlfriend or something, but it was almost a foreign thought for Lonnie to date anyone. He had no problem talking to pretty women and it seemed as though he wasn't really interested in any of them. He never had lunch with anyone other than other officers, and he was helping the track team on his time off.

"Well, the events leading up to that are sadder than a lot of cases we work. It seems that girl has been through a little bit of everything. But in high school, Jamison took care of her. Made sure she got home safe, even talked her into joining the track team because he wouldn't let her go home by herself. He was the big brother she should have had."

Virgil took Bubba's advice and sent Jamison out to patrol with Sweet.

"Who are you picking up from the airport?" Virgil asked as he looked through some files.

"Kasey Pipkins," the chief replied as though it wasn't a big deal.

"You mean she's coming here? Why?"

"A family reunion. She's been trying to get in touch with these people for six years now, and she got a letter for a family reunion. I think I'll let her surprise everyone tomorrow. She's been wanting to meet you, Virgil."

At 3, the chief left for the airport Virgil watched the Chief leave before standing up and picking up the letter he had been reading. Every week he got these letters from this Kasey Pipkins. This was the first time Virgil had ever read one. The letter covered many things. Some of them didn't make sense, so he figured it was something she had been talking to the chief about. But, there was a part that said she was coming to Sparta. She would be arriving that day at 330. It was already 4. She was coming for a family reunion. She spoke of hoping to mend the relationships with her family and briefly mentioned that she hadn't heard from them in six years though she had tried to reach them.

"Hey Bubba," Virgil called when the captain walked by. "Is Kasey really a Russell kid?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "She is."

The Russell family was a curse to Sparta. A long line of criminals that found a way to get away with all forms of crimes. Robbery, drugs, some prostitution and even murder.

"And she doesn't have a record?" Virgil asked, shocked at the information.

"Nah, she moved in with the chief when she started high school," Bubba said. "Lonnie took a liking to her and helped her out."

Bubba walked to the chief's desk and picked up a picture then handed it to Virgil. "That's her."

She was a pretty girl. Straight brown hair and slate grey eyes, but no smile. There was a black drape on her shoulders and a pearl necklace on her neck. It was a stereotypical senior portrait, but trapped under the glass was a first place ribbon from a 500 meter sprint.

"First place, huh?" Virgil said when he looked up at Bubba. "The chief must have been proud."

"Yeah, he was."

"Why did she move in with the chief?" Virgil asked.

"Well, no one really knows besides her and the chief."

Virgil would have liked to ask Jamison, but he wasn't going to make the lieutenant suffer like that again. If just talking about her upset the officer, would seeing her help him out at all?

When the chief returned around five, he was tired and ready to go home. Instead he sat down at the desk and stared at the pictures on his desk. "You know she hasn't smiled since she was sixteen years old?" Gillespie asked quietly.

"Is that possible?" Virgil asked.

"Of course it is," he said. "Jamison and I did our best to cheer her up, but nothing worked."

"What happened?"

The chief leaned back in his chair, tossing his glasses onto his desk. "What hasn't happened to that child? She's one of those Russell kids. No one was happy when she came around. They figured she was going to be another one of them, but she was an affair child. Everyone knows Charles Russell killed that man, but no one ever found the body.

"It must have been seven years later Charles caught his wife with another man. He killed them both right in front of that poor child. Murphy was holding her still making her watch. It was their way of teaching her a lesson about betrayal to the family. We tried to charge him with the crime, but Charles's hold on these people made everyone lie. Even the DA wouldn't dare push a trial unless there was 100 percent certainty.

"When Charles wasn't in town, Murphy and Molly took Kasey with them to these parties that those kids have. Murphy was dealing drugs and Molly was a working girl. I'll never forget that night she came in. Eleven years old now! Smelling like alcohol and pot. Even her eyes were bloodshot!

"That's how I met Bubba. He found her laying in the middle of the street."

"Why'd he bring her to you? Why not the hospital?" Virgil asked.

"He was scared, Virgil. A senior in high school with a date that was wanting to just leave the girl. He couldn't do that." The chief sighed. "Kasey didn't leave the station for a few days. She was fine staying in the cell downstairs. We had inmates down there, but none of them bothered her. Hell, they felt sorry for her.

"When she was thirteen, things really started to get bad."

"There's more?" Virgil asked in disbelief. Just how much had this girl taken?

"Oh yeah!" The chief said. "And this is only what she's told me. She said Jamison knew a little more because she didn't want to disappoint me."

"Disappoint?" Virgil asked with a laugh. "The only thing disappointing is she didn't run away!"

"She loved her brother, Murphy. No matter what he did to her, she would take it and smile. She was the happiest kid with the most miserable life I had ever seen. When she was thirteen, she was standing behind a guy that got shot in the chest. It was a drug deal gone wrong. The bullet went straight through him and hit her in the shoulder. Thankfully, Bubba was there and took her to the hospital then called me and told me what happened.

"That's when she came to my house and never left. Still, she was the happiest kid I had ever known. She would laugh off the incidents at the parties and always kept a smile. She was much happier when Jamison talked her into joining the track team. I think it was the running that helped her cope."

Virgil smirked, "Are you sure it was track?"

"Of course I'm sure," the chief said. "Jamison isn't a fool. He knew I'd have his head. I told him so myself."

The chief of detectives chuckled then waited for the story to continue.

"Murphy graduated her sophomore year. Jamison was graduating too. Murphy got a football scholarship to Ohio State," the chief sighed sadly. "I didn't go to the graduation. I didn't want Kasey to go, but she insisted she should congratulate her brother. That was the last time I saw her smile. When she came back, Jamison was with her, still in that ridiculous graduation gown. I've never seen that boy so angry before. I don't ever want to see it again. Apparently, Murphy took this new found freedom to its limits and started a scene at the poor girl telling her she wasn't his sister, that she was better off dead."

Virgil frowned. "What happened after that?"

"Well, Jamison stayed with us for about a week trying to cheer the poor thing up. I was glad he was watching her. I was afraid she would try something."

"She went through all that, but her brother disowning her is what broke her?" Virgil asked in disbelief.

"Makes you wonder what she thinks I'd be disappointed about," Gillespie said. "That girl couldn't disappoint anyone, even if she tried. I don't know why she thinks coming back for this family reunion is going to help. She has a nice life in Michigan, from what I can tell."

"How'd she end up there?"

"Well, she had a guaranteed job there, but when she got there, the spot was filled."

"What sort of job?" Virgil asked.

"She became a lawyer," Gillespie smiled. "The girl can spit fire. She could put Darnell in place without a second thought."


	2. Chapter 2

The bark seemed hazy at first. She didn't remember having a dog or seeing on.

"That's enough!" Someone yelled. "You can wait until she wakes up to meet her!"

Slowly, Kasey sat up, pushing her hair from her face. She yawned as she got up and attempted to leave the room, but running into the door instead of leaving the room.

She just stood there, her forehead against the cool wood. It was still warm, even for Sparta. The 80 degree autumn was nothing compared to the near ice storm that had almost delayed her flight.

Sighing, her hand found the cool brass knob and she twisted it. There stood her favorite person, Bill Gillespie. He meant the world to her for letting her stay with him though high school and dealing with her after...

He smiled warmly, "Morning, Lil Bit!"

"Morning," she sighed. Her eyes went down to the black lab. "You have a dog."

"Oh yeah, this here is Bulregard. He'll be taking care of you when I'm not around," he joked.

She simply nodded then headed to the kitchen. "I'm going down to the station in a couple of hours if you'd like to join me," he offered as he watched her pour herself some tea. It was a habit Jamison had got her on. She couldn't stand coffee after a bad accident at a track meet, but she still needed something to wake up on and tea helped.

"Station?" She asked as she dropped some sugar in. "What station?"

"The police station," he said. "You better get some more sleep before you go."

"Right, police chief," she mumbled as she took a sip of her tea. "Virgil's working today?"

He nodded, "And he's looking forward to meeting you."

"How is everyone?" She asked as she continued to drink her tea.

"Good, good," he smiled. "We just got done with a murder case. I think you showing up would cheer them up some."

"Murder?" She questioned.

"It wasn't anyone in your family," Gillespie said.

Her eyebrows furrowed together for a moment, thoughts running through her head. "That died or killed?"

"Both," he replied.

"How sad," she said sarcastically. The chief raised a white eyebrow in surprise. Noticing his reaction, she put her cup down. "I started therapy when I went to Michigan. He helped me get through everything. He told me the only way to completely heal is to return to Sparta and face them. That's why I came. So I can move on."

A gentle smile formed on the old man's lips. "I guess it turned into bitterness then."

"No," she replied with a sigh. "It turned into regret and shame. I left everything I love behind just to chase some childish hope. I think everything is ok now."

"Good! Now go get ready so you can make everything better," the chief directed. "We could use a good lawyer's opinion."

That was crap and they both knew it, but that wasn't going to stop Kasey from going to the station. She had planned to return to Sparta for Labor Day, but her nerves got the best of her and she backed out. So, this family reunion thing gave her an excuse to confront her family and see everyone again.

She put on some jeans and slipped into her Sparta hoody then walked out while struggling to put boots on. Gillespie laughed at her making her glare up at him. He chuckled a bit more when he took notice of the necklace that had slipped from under her hood. It was a ring.

"I see you still have that," he said, pointing at the necklace.

She finished fixing her boot, not entirely sure what he was talking about. "Of course I still have my class ring. Why would I not have it?"

"It isn't Jamison's?" He asked suspiciously.

"Lonnie never gave me his ring," she told him. "He never got a ring."

"Child, you have no shame," Gillespie said as he shook his head. "Alright, let's go."

She followed him out, not completely understanding where he had gone with that topic. "Bill, why would Lonnie have given me his ring anyway? He was with Louise McTurner."

"He was, was he?" He questioned airily. "Well, it certainly didn't seem that way when he brought you home."

She sighed, "Guess not."

"Well, Louise is not a McTurner anymore," he told her. "She's now a Mrs. Timothy Myers."

"You're joking," she said in disbelief. "Please tell me you're talking about Trip."

"No," he said. "I'm talking about Junior."

She sighed as she shook her head, "She always had her eye out for money. She dated Trip after Lonnie. Guess that's how she got to his father."

When they finally arrived at the station, the two were arguing about the Magnolia Cafe. Gillespie ate there nearly every day but even when she lived in Sparta, Kasey couldn't go in there.

"Now, Kasey, I am done arguing with you!" The chief said as they walked in. "The Magnolia is a fine place to eat!"

"Yeah, if you like eating things that taste like fried old people," she muttered in response.

"I heard that," the chief said.

Luckily, there weren't many officers in there to hear it.

"Uh, Chief?" A man said as he stopped out of the chief's office.

Kasey raised an eyebrow at the man. She really hadn't expected the chief of detectives to be black, even though Bill told her he was. She definitely didn't expect him to wear a suit and tie. This was Sparta! No one needed to look that sort of professional except for people at city hall and the DA.

"Ah, Virgil!" The chief exclaimed. "This is Kasey Pipkins. Kasey, this is our chief of detective, Virgil Tibbs."

"It's nice to meet you," she said as she shook his hand.

"Uh, thanks for the watch," Virgil said in response. "The chief didn't tell me it was from you."

"Uh, you're welcome?" She said, glancing at the chief.

"I know how you hate not knowing what to buy people, so I used the money you sent for Virgil's Christmas gift and got him a watch."

"You sent money?" Virgil asked when he looked at the young woman. The watch must have cost $100 easy. How did she have the money to pay for it if she didn't have that lawyer job? "Kasey-"

"Don't bother arguing, Virgil," Gillespie said. "You'll lose."

"Just like you," Kasey pointed out. "The Magnolia food tastes like old people have been fried in the grease."

Virgil sighed, "Thank you for ruining it for me."

"Aw, c'mon now Virgil," Gillespie groaned as the trio walked into the office. "You can't give in that quickly to her arguments."

"But she's right, Chief!" The detective exasperated. "That's exactly what it tastes like."

"You can't tell because you've gotten used to it," Kasey said. "Don't go for a couple of weeks. You can smell it."

The girl sat in the chair against the wall. Something about doors bothered her.

"The chief said you were a lawyer?" Virgil questioned.

"Not right now," she replied. "I'm still trying to find a job. I haven't been out long though. Couple of months. Been paying rent with a waitress job."

"Waitress?" Gillespie asked. "You can't eat that food anymore."

"Yeah, it's a lot like the Magnolia," she replied. "Old people grease."

Virgil laughed some while the chief sighed and rolled his eyes. He sighed again as he picked up the phone, "Yeah, what?"

Kasey shook her head, "I guess being the chief of police means you don't have to be nice."

"He was nice before?"

"I'll be sure to tell him." Gillespie hung up the phone and sighed. "That was Mrs. Tibbs, Virgil. She wants to meet you for lunch."

"Did she say where?"

A smile formed on his face. "The Magnolia Cafe."

Kasey pushed some of her brown hair behind her ears as she looked at the groaning chief of detectives. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Avoid the meat," Kasey said as the detective stood up.

Gillespie and Virgil laughed as he walked out. The moment he was gone, she got up and sat behind Virgil's desk.

"It's so crowded now," she said as she sat there, looking at the pictures on his desk. "He's got a pretty wife. Does she work?"

"She's a teacher at the Sparta High School. Good councilor too."

Kasey nodded with a yawn. "Too bad he has to go to Magnolia. What's up with that food? Is there like a senior center in the kitchen and they tell them it's a hot tub?"

Gillespie chuckled at her banter.

"Uh, Chief," someone said from the door.

Kasey looked up and raised an eyebrow when the officer suddenly stopped talking while he stared back.

"Yes, Parker?" Gillespie said trying to get the officer's attention again.

"So you're Parker," Kasey said as she stood up and forced him to shake her hand. "I'm Kasey Pipkins."

The officer stuttered some, looking at the chief then back at her, "Uh, Parker Williams, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you. I, uh, really liked your jelly."

"You got...persimmon, right?"

"Yes ma'am, I did," he smiled. "Does anyone else know you're here?"

"No, Parker and we plan to keep it that way," Gillespie said. "Now what is it?"

"Oh, Bubba's on line four." He smiled at Kasey again then walked out.

"Lord, the whole world is going to know you're here," Gillespie sighed as he picked up the phone. "Yeah, what?" A look of concern crossed his face, "You're kidding." He looked up at Kasey, "Yeah. I'll get right on that."

He hung up and sighed. "I think you should come with me."


	3. Chapter 3

Kasey stood up, following right behind the chief as they went to a patrol car. "What happened?" She asked as he sped down the road.

"Bubba didn't say. He just said it was real bad and I needed to get to Icarus."

"Icarus? Who's that?"

"It's a new restaurant that's been put up. Named after that one story. I think it's Greek themed. Pretty nice from what I hear," the chief said.

Kasey sighed, "I don't trust foreign food down here. Except spaghetti. That's pretty easy to make."

After fifteen minutes, the patrol car stopped on the gravel parking lot. Talk about classy. It almost seemed like a perfect melancholy place. The plantation-like was Greek themed. Very Greek themed. It almost looked like the Parthenon. Two story with thick, long columns and an open balcony with lovely black railing to keep people upstairs safe. Vines draped off the railings and wrapped around the metal. It was a nice place.

There were officers looking at things and taking pictures of what would be considered evidence. She had never been to a crime scene. She had been part of a crime scene, but never really got to watch it. A wave of fear and loneliness suddenly draped over her shoulders. Bubba used to keep her close, making sure she felt safe, and Lonnie had done the same.

That's what she regretted. She couldn't bare to tell the chief she had gone to a party. Even after everything she had been through, but Lonnie went with her to keep her safe. She didn't stay long. Actually being there for her own entertainment frightened her and she got back into Lonnie's truck, unable to approach the place.

That night was a night the two regretted. Lonnie had continued on to spend time with Louise, who he had been dating for six months, leaving Kasey in his truck. At some point, she had laid down in the seat and fell asleep. The next thing she knew, she was sliding across rough pavement then rolling down a hill. She wasn't found until the morning. Lonnie found her and kept her close, trying to keep her warm and awake. He was at her side every chance he could be.

"Ma'am?"

She looked at the black officer. Sparta was changing and for the better.

"I'm Officer Sweet. The chief would like to speak to you."

She followed the young officer to her father-figure and stood next to him as he talked to Virgil.

"What are you doing out here?" Virgil asked.

"Go keep Mrs. Tibbs company, would you?" Gillespie asked.

She found a woman with her arms crossed over her chest, clearly unhappy about where she was. Walking to her, she kept her hands in her hoody pockets, not saying anything as she approached the woman. "Mrs. Tibbs?" She questioned.

"Yes?" She asked, a well practiced mask that covered her annoyance.

"I'm Kasey Pipkins," Kasey introduced.

She stared at Kasey in shock, "Virgil talked about you. You're a lawyer, right? You came down from Michigan?"

"Yeah," Kasey said uneasily. Why would Virgil talk so much about her?

"It's so nice to finally meet you. Are you going to be staying in Sparta for long?"

"Just two weeks," Kasey answered. "Family reunion."

"Why not stay until Thanksgiving? You can come spend it with us like the chief does!"

"I couldn't do that," Kasey said. Her eyes scanned the crime scene again. The witnesses were in fits and it seemed more chaos was happening than good.

"I've never watched a crime scene before," Kasey said.

"Never? I thought you lived with the chief."

"I was a high school student. Track kept me busy." She sighed, "Lonnie kept me busy."

"Lonnie Jamison?" She asked.

"Yeah," Kasey replied. "He made me run all the time. He was the head of the track team and kept me out of trouble."

She smiled, "Were you two ever more than just friends?"

"Nope. I'm not interested in dating."

"Why not?"

Kasey looked at the woman, "It's a personal thing. I don't like talking about it."

"Oh, I understand. I'm sorry."

"It's nothing to worry about."

"Virgil said Jamison didn't react so great when he asked about you. Do you know why that is?"

Kasey kicked a rock, "That's personal too. I'm sorry."

"I figured it was. Virgil said he was pretty upset. It's strange that they're all so fond of you but don't want to talk about you."

"Speak of the devil and he will come," the young woman said with a sigh.

"Is that how you see yourself?" Mrs. Tibbs asked.

"No," Kasey replied as her eyes turned to the storm that was slowly coming closer.

The two watched the large woman that owned the restaurant storm up to them, "Will you please get those men out of my restaurant?!"

"Greek is a pretty interesting theme," Kasey commented. "Why'd you pick that?"

"Greek?" The woman asked. "We're an Italian restaurant."

"Icarus is from Greek mythology," Kasey pointed out.

The woman ignored her and started talking to Mrs. Tibbs, "Get them out!"

"Ma'am, they're in the middle of a murder investigation. We can't just send them away. Don't you want to know who killed these people?"

"Why would she want to know that?" Kasey asked while keeping her steely gaze on the woman. "She just wants to know who ruined her restaurant."

The woman glared, "That's right I do!"

"I'm sure they're not looking at every room in your plantation. Go find one and sit in there," Kasey said.

Mrs. Tibbs sighed, "I'm going home. Would you like to come, Kasey?"

"No thank you, Mrs. Tibbs."

"Althea," she said with a smile.

Kasey nodded and watched her walk away.

"No wonder you're a high school drop out," the woman spat. "You're probably on drugs just like those other kids!"

Thunder rolled through the sky. "C'mon," Kasey said as calmly as possible. "Let's get you out of the rain while they finish up." She opened the door to one of the patrol cars. The woman sat down and scooted in. "I'm going to see how much longer it will be," Kasey said then closed the door and did as she said she would. If would be another hour before they were done.

Kasey headed to the car and leaned against the door. The angry woman pounded on the door. It almost matched the thunder causing her entire body to shake while the bottom fell out. By the time they really were done with the crime scene, she was almost soaked to the bone.

After the woman was back inside and Kasey was wrapped in a towel in the patrol car, the chief laughed. "You actually put her in the car."

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Kasey asked.

"It's not!" The chief said. "I can't believe she fell for it."

They stopped by the house so she could get dry clothes then they headed to the station. Everyone had changed into dry uniforms, but their hair was still wet.

"Say, uh, Chief. Who's that following you around?" The large policeman asked.

Kasey got a glimpse of his name tag. Skinner. He went to Bama just to come back to be a cop?

"Uh, no one important," the chief waved off.

"But Chief-" Parker started.

"Parker," he warned. "Not now."

"Uh, yes sir."

Kasey followed the police chief to his office then picked up a picture from his desk. It was one from a track meet. She was sweaty, but still holding a trophy and gripping onto Lonnie to keep her from falling. She looked so happy, so different, so innocent.

"Yeah, you've changed a lot," Gillespie said as she put the picture back down. "It's hard to say if it's good or bad though. Seems you're not as innocent as you used to be."

"It sounds bad when you say it like that," she said as she looked at everything in the office, finding pictures she hadn't seen before. "I'm just not as oblivious, and I understand what happened and all the mistakes I made."

"Now, Kasey, you know better than that," Gillespie scolded. "I know I taught you better than that."

"You did," she agreed. "I don't regret what I did most of the time, or at least what I ignored. I regret a few things, but that's what life's about. Learning from regrets."

She chuckled some, "Did you hear that lady?"

"Who didn't?" He asked.

"She said Icarus was an Italian restaurant. It's a Greek mythology story. A sad one."

"What's it about?"

"A man and his boy are prisoners. They take feathers, candle wax and sticks to build wings so they can fly away. And it works. Icarus's father warns him to not fly too high or the wax would melt. But, Icarus doesn't listen. The wings fall apart and he falls to his death, drowning in the ocean."

"Well, that is sad," Gillespie admitted.

Kasey sighed as she took the seat in the corner. "Althea invited me to stay until Thanksgiving."

"Well, I don't see a problem with it. You could try to get a job here with the DA. He needs the help with this murder case coming up."

"Darnell?" Kasey asked with a scoff. "I'm not working for him or with him."

"Well fine! Work against him. You'll still have to be in the same building."

She sighed as she rested her head on her propped hand. "Bill-"

"You little punk!"

The two of them stared at Bubba who had barged in unannounced. He pulled Kasey to her feet and smothered her in a tight bear hug, actually lifting her from her feet. "Goodness girl! Were you going to hide from us the entire time?"

"No," she strained. "I'm not big on announcements, Bubba."

The large officer put her down then ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance.

"How long are you staying?" He asked.

"Two weeks. Maybe til Thanksgiving. It's still up for debate."

He frowned, "You ain't here to stay then?"

"Even if I was, I'd have to leave and lack everything just to come back."

"You've always been lazy," he said with a smile. He was beaming, "Look at you!"

"Look at you!" She said as she smacked his arm. "What sort of stripes you got there, Captain?"

He chuckled, a bit embarrassed, "Well..."

"Bubba, get everyone in the meeting room. We've got something important to talk about. Kasey, you stay here. This is police business."

She gave a sarcastic salute and watched everyone pile into the room. Pushing herself out of the chair, she walked around the empty area then sat down at a phone just in case it rang.


End file.
